Product Review: Indulgent Pudding by Kozy Shack

I was invited to join a campaign through BzzAgent for Kozy Shack Indulgent Pudding.  I was sent a coupon to try two of these products for free so naturally we ran straight to Kroger to get some!  At first, I couldn't find this product in my store, but then realized it probably wasn't in the dairy section, but it WAS in the pudding aisle with the refrigerated pudding products.  There are four different flavors of this pudding including Chocolate Truffle, Dark Chocolate, Salted Caramel and Vanilla Bean.

I had my little shopper/helper with me, so I let her choose which ones we would get (she could pick 2).  I think we were in this aisle for at least 4 minutes while she agonized over which ones to get.  (Honestly, if she would have taken any longer, I was going to stick all four in my cart!).  Although I was secretly trying to get her to choose salted caramel (via mental telepathy) she choose the two chocolate ones instead (she really is my child though!).
  
These are delicious!!  They are rich and creamy and thick!  They really are a wonderful treat or a great way to end a meal, end a day, just as a reward for getting your to-do list done.  Ha!  They are slightly higher in calories though so they aren't something we will be eating a lot of in my house at one sitting (for example chocolate truffle has 200 calories and 9 grams of fat), but I will definitely be buying these again and trying the other two flavors!
  

You can find out more about Kozy Shack products, but especially their Indulgent pudding by checking out their website, or following them on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.  

Product Review: Coca-Cola Life

I recently was invited to join a BzzAgent Campaign for a new Coca-Cola product called Coca-Cola Life.  I will admit I am a Diet Coke girl, but really try not to drink it often because of the artificial sweeteners that are used in this drink.  So when I was introduced to this product and given the cutest glass bottle of pop (yes it's pop, not soda!) to try I was skeptical but willing to try it.  Let me tell you a little bit about this product first... According to the website and brand, Coca-Cola Life "is a reduced-calorie cola sweetened with a blend of sugar and Stevia leaf extract. It contains 35% fewer calories per fl oz compared to other leading colas."  Although I don't love that this has calories (I'd rather eat my calories!), I do like that it is much less than a traditional or regular Coke.  But I do love that this uses Stevia (a product I use regularly!).

The taste of this was very good.  I actually enjoyed it and so did everyone else in my family when I gave them some.  I was excited to try to see if I could find it at my local grocery store and they did have it (see photo at right) but they only had it in cans and glass bottles.  I personally would have bought it if they had it in a 2 liter though, so hopefully I can find that in another store or it will be coming soon.  

Want to know more about Coca-Cola Life?  You can check out their website, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. 

Note: Although I received these products to try for free, it in no way influenced my opinion of them, or the opinions expressed above. 

Product Review: BabyBjörn Baby Carrier One

As a busy (and working) mom, it’s important for me to spend time with my kids while still getting things done! For me, there are two times in our day when it is hardest to have everyone with me: when doing household chores and when out in public. One way that I can keep my littlest kids closest to me is using a baby carrier. I never had one with my first child, and honestly don’t know how I managed life sometimes. No I do know…I never got anything done! When she went through stages of never wanting to be put down, I literally got nothing else done. Don’t get me wrong, I loved holding her but as a working mom, sometimes I NEEDED to get things done that required me being hands free! Fast forward to my second and third kids and I got smart enough to finally invest in a BabyBjörn carrier…best decision I ever made!

The BabyBjörn Baby Carrier One is a carrier that you can wear with infants as small as 8 pounds, all the way up to three year old toddlers. It’s a great, multifunctional, ergonomic, and comfortable carrier that allows you to safely and easily stay in close contact with your child. The carrier has a four-way design which allows you to carry your child either front inward facing (high on the chest for newborns or a little lower for older babies), front outward facing (5 months and up), or carried on your back (12 months and up).  It has an adjustable design with a pressure-relieving belt, and extra-thick padded shoulder straps for maximum comfort. 

The Baby Carrier One has firm, adjustable head support for secure and proper positioning of the baby’s head and neck. The legs and hips are held in an ergonomically correct position that is recommend by pediatricians. When you carry your child in an upright position, it keeps their airways free and allows you to check on your baby’s breathing. The carrier itself has a padded seat, non-chafing seams, and adjustable width for the leg position. The head support can also be folded down when your baby is facing outwards.

Carrying your infant in the Baby Carrier One helps you stay in close contact and reinforce the parent-child bond from the very beginning. What is great about this carrier is that your baby is positioned high up on your chest and close to your heart. Therefore, your newborn is soothed and reassured by the warmth of your body and the sound of your heart and voice. Also, as a parent, it helps you learn to recognize and understand your baby’s needs.

BabyBjörn has a commitment to the health and safety of children! They work with leading international pediatricians, child psychologists, and midwives, in order to develop the best and safest products for children. So as parents, we can feel confident that the choices we make for our kids (and choosing BabyBjörn) is the best one!

Although my kids are getting older and almost out of the baby carrier stage, my 3 year old still likes to be held when out in public or times when we have longer walks. The BabyBjörn Baby Carrier One is a great option for me to keep him with me, still have my hands free for the other two, and he thinks it’s fun to “get a piggy back ride” as we go along with our day.

You can find out more about BabyBjörn Baby Carrier One by checking them out online. You can also follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Product Review: Puracyn Plus Wound and Skin Cleanser

Summer months, means extra time outside and for this family, it means more frequent falls.  It also means a lot more minor cuts, scrapes, rashes and insect bites!  My kids HATE getting their "ouchies" and wounds cleaned but they know how important it is to get all of the germs out as well.  It doesn't make it any easier to clean though! 

Now it can be easier!  Puracyn Plus Duo Care Wound and Skin Cleanser is a product you can find over-the-counter at local drugstores such as Walgreens and Rite-Aid, and of course, my favorite…Amazon!  Puracyn Plus is a great ONE STEP alternative to other typical cleaners such as iodine solutions, rubbing alcohol, triple biotic ointments, etc.  This is a great product not only for my kids but my husband as well who is constantly turning to “bubbly medicine” as he calls it with the kids…also known as hydrogen peroxide! 

I don’t know about your family, but my kids will let me look at their wounds and put a bandage on it, but as soon as I try to get any sort of washcloth, wipe, or cream on it, they start freaking out and thinking it’s going to hurt.  The great thing about Puracyn Plus is that it comes in a spray so it makes it so much easier to effectively cleanse, debride, and irrigate the wounds.  The Wound and Skin Cleanser is non-toxic, non-irritating, steroid free and alcohol free.  This makes it safe (and easy!) to use with everyone in the family…kids and adults!  This is the next generation in wound care!

Puracyn Plus also has a cleanser specifically for foot and leg issues such as blisters, skin abrasions & irritations, etc.  Getting minor cuts and skin issues cleaned have never been easier!

You can find out more about the line of Puracyn Plus products by checking them out online.  You can also follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

Don’t just take my word for it though, try it for yourself!  I have a limited number of $4 off coupons to share if you are interested in trying it.  If so, fill out the Rafflecopter below and I will be choosing several readers to share these with! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I have been compensated for my review of this product, as well as given the opportunity to share $4 coupons with my readers.  

My New Favorite Kitchen Gadget: Pampered Chef Brownie Pan

At the end of the school year I got a unique gift from one of my students...a brownie pan from Pampered Chef.  Obviously, from this blog, you can tell that I love to cook and probably have most gadgets already...but I did NOT have this one yet.  I was a little nervous to use it because I actually hate muffin pans and have been known to throw them out after using them when I can't get them clean.  But when I made brownies recently, I decided to give this pan a try.

No joke, I am in love with this pan!  Look at the picture below...that is what the pan looked like when I took the brownies out (and I used it twice!!).  NOTHING stuck to this at all and was so easy to clean.  I'm a muffin pan user convert!!  Love, love, love!  I need to get another one now too...or maybe two more!!  So thankful for this gift from my student and her family!!

Product Review: Coppertone CLEARLYSheer Sunscreens

Coppertone Sunscreens has come up with a great daily-use product that you don't mind using on your face!  I often try to purchase make-up that has SPF in it because I can't stand wearing traditional/typical sunscreen on my face.  Who wants to walk around smelling like sunscreen all day?  Unless you are at a beach, that's not a scent I want others to think of when they are near me.  So when I was invited to be a part of a BzzCampaign for Coppertone Clearly Sheer Sunscreen through BzzAgent, I was very excited.  I was sent samples of this product to try for free, and I'm glad I was, because they totally got a new customer in me and I will be buying more of this in the future!

First of all, this sunscreen goes on really easily and smoothly.  It blends in really well too.  It's not like super thick sunscreen that makes your face or skin coated in a white film.  Plus it is an awesome moisturizer!  I usually need to put moisturizer on my face before my make-up, but I don't when I'm wearing this stuff.  It has a really, really light scent....but it doesn't smell like sunscreen.  It's almost floral smelling but it disappears quickly.  I asked Brian to see if he could smell it about 15 minutes after I put it on, and he didn't notice it at all. 

This comes in an SPF of 30 which is definitely higher than the SPF in my make-up!  (It does come in SPF 15 though too).  I really do love this sunscreen!  Plus I love that I'm protecting my skin, and already have it on when I go walk out the door.  Although it's summer, and I wear sunscreen on my face often, it is not something I wear regularly 3 other seasons of the year.  I'm hoping to be able to continue using this as my moisturizer in the fall and winter too so I can keep my face soft, but also protected from UV rays!

If you want to learn more about this product, or other products from Coppertone, you can check out their website, or find them on Facebook!  Plus, if you go to their website, you can download a free coupon too! 

Product Review: good2grow Juice

Our family has regularly bought/used the juices with the no spill toppers because it is such a great thing to have while travelling.  They are constantly being used/refilled and taken in the car on our road trips, or outings.  The bottles we've had (a different brand) are several years old and I told my husband a few weeks ago that we really should get new bottles and juice.  Two days later (no joke!) I got an invitation to join a BzzCampaign for good2grow™ juice!  It was a sign that we were meant to try a different kind/brand/version.  If that wasn't good enough, when I opened the package there were three different toppers, two for girls and one for a boy.  I swear BzzAgent was sending this specifically to my family!  Better yet...the boy topper was a Ninja Turtle!  (Matthew's favorite).  He literally squealed when I opened the box and INSTANTLY wanted a new juice with his favorite character.  (I love you BzzAgent!!) 

As you can see, we are already huge fans of this brand without even having taken a drink.  :)  In addition to the toppers we were also sent some coupons (to share...let me know if you want one!!) and a free package of the 6 oz juice bottles. 

So...then I did give each of my kids their juice and I sort of wish I hadn't.  Why?!  Because they sucked it down so fast they immediately wanted another one.  THEY LOVED IT.  I've had to hid the packages (yes packages!) I've bought because if they can see it, they want it.  I'm trying to ration it just a little longer!! 

Now as a mom who tries to give her kids more healthy stuff than unhealthy stuff, let me tell you why I love this brand and this juice. 
1. There are two different kids: 100% juice and a fruit/veggie blends.  I will do anything to get veggies into my kids!
2.  There is no added sugar!
3.  The BPA-free, spill-proof caps/bottles.  Thank you inverter of these bottles for making our life so much easier!
4.  You can get organic versions of the juice!

I could seriously go on and on about these drinks.  I always love getting invited to be a BzzAgent and trying new campaigns, but I really, really, really loved getting into this one!

Want to know more about this juice?  Check out good2grow's website: http://good2grow.com/, follow them on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/good2growdrinks; or on Twitter: https://twitter.com/good2growdrinks.


Note: Although I received these products to try for free, it in no way influenced my opinion of them, or the opinions expressed above. 

Product Review: Lean Cuisine® Honestly Good Meals

During the school year I go through spurts of eating frozen meals and bringing home made lunches.  I usually have several Lean Cuisine meals in the freezer at work for those time when I forgot my lunch or didn't have anything ready to go.  My go-to frozen meals are pasta or pizza.  I'm not a frozen meat fan.  But when I was invited to join this Lean Cuisine® Honestly Good Campaign, I was interested in trying the product because these are found in the natural and organic freezer section.  This summer I have been eating mainly natural, unprocessed, organic foods.  So these meals are more in line with the foods I am trying to eat.  

My finished/cooked lunch.

I was sent a coupon to try one of these meals for free.  My Kroger only had 2 varieties to choose from: Pomegranate Chicken or Lemongrass Salmon.  I cannot stand salmon so I was really only left with one choice.  There are actually 6 varieties or this product though so hopefully my store will start to carry some of the other ones too.  You can choose from the 2 already mentioned as well as Roasted Red Pepper Chicken, Plum Ginger Grain-Crusted Fish, Pineapple Black Pepper Beef or Honey Citrus Chicken. 

Each of the meals come with a protein, whole-grain side, and veggies.  The pomegranate chicken included a grilled chicken breast filet, pomegranate glaze, green and yellow beans as well as carrots, and while grain pilaf.  I assumed I would love the pilaf, think the beans were just okay and not eat much of the chicken.  I was very happily surprised that this was NOT the case.  I loved the chicken.  (Did I just say that?!)  It was so moist, and tender.  I ate the entire breast.  I am not a huge frozen veggie lover but the green and yellow beans were really good.  I didn't love the carrots, but I don't love carrots too much normally.  The pilaf was probably my least favorite part of the meal but it was still good.  Best part of this meal is that it is filling yet only 390 calories.

I have been trying to eat minimally processed foods this summer so I was very happy to see that most of the ingredients listed on the package were whole/real foods.  The only non-real food listed in the ingredients was "2% or less of zante currant raisins with sunflower oil."  I assumed zante was some form of additive...guess what, it's not!  It's the type of currant used.  I was quite impressed. 

This is what the product looks like coming right out of the box. 
See that little black spot on the chicken?  That's a currant!

Find out more about Kroger brand products by visiting their website.  Don't forget, you can also follow them on Facebook, Twitter or on Pinterest.

Note: Although I received these products to try for free, it in no way influenced my opinion of them, or the opinions expressed above. 

Product Review: Fried Chicken at Kroger

Recently I was invited to join a BzzCampaign through BzzAgent for Kroger Fried Chicken.  These are obviously available at the Kroger Line of stores.  Want to see if you have one near you?  Check out this link: Kroger Store Locator. 

I was super lucky to be able to try several items for free: Kroger 8 piece fried chicken, 1 liter of Diet Coke and Kroger potato chips.  I almost ran to Kroger to pick all of this up the night my bzzkit arrived, but decided to save it for our upcoming road trip to Southern Illinois.  I checked and saw there were 3 Kroger grocery stores fairly close to our hotel.  I figured this would be a great time to try the products AND not have to worry about what we were going to eat for dinner that night.  I wish I would have taken a picture of the kids eating their dinner at the hotel but we started eating so fast I forgot!

I thought we were going to have to get this cold in the refrigerated section of the deli, but it was hot.  And best of all it was labeled with the time it was packaged.  I was very happy to see that it had only been sitting out for 30 minutes.  So we grabbed our chicken and other items and headed to the hotel to eat.  On the drive to the hotel Chloe kept complaining that the chicken smelled good and it was making her more hungry.  I literally couldn't get this on their plates fast enough.  Everyone loved the chicken and made sure I knew to keep the leftovers so they could eat it for lunch the next day. 

This was a delicious meal, that tasted great and I didn't have to worry about trying to cook!  And the 8 pc meal was only $7.99.  A lot less (and better tasting) that fast food.  The chicken was moist on the inside and the skin was super crispy.  We had two choices of flavors of chips at the Kroger we went to: Original or BBQ.  (Obviously this family went with original).  We will definitely be getting this again. 

 

Find out more about Kroger brand products by visiting their website.  Don't forget, you can also follow them on Facebook, Twitter or on Pinterest.

Note: Although I received these products to try for free, it in no way influenced my opinion of them, or the opinions expressed above. 

Sponsored Product Review: Cascade Platinum Pacs

So if you've been to my house lately, you've probably heard me complain that although we have a dishwasher, we are pretty much hand washing all of our dishes and then running them through a rinse/dry cycle of our dishwasher.  I don't know if it's our water, the dishwasher, or operator error, but our dishes are just not coming out clean.  It's probably been close to 9 months that we've been doing this wash/rinse routine.  It's annoying. 

So when I was invited to join a campaign through Mom Central Consulting for Cascade Platinum pacs I was super excited.  They sent me the Cascade pacs to try for free. 

Previously when I ran my dirty dishes in the dishwasher they came out with a horribly disgusting film from the detergent, as well as had flecks of (what I assume is) calcium deposits or dried detergent on them.  It was disgusting and embarrassing. 

Today was the first time I tried these Cascade Platinum pacs and I had very low

expectations for how my dishes would come out.  For the first run through I rinsed my dishes of most of the food particles and then ran it through a regular cycle with the Cascade Platinum pacs inside.  I assumed that when my dishes were done I was going to have to rewash them all.  Shockingly, and very happily, I only had to rewash one spoon and one plate.  That was it.  Everything else not only came out clean but there was NO detergent residue on the dishes at all.  I'm still in shock it worked so well. Can I actually stop pre-washing my dishes?!  
Here's more info about the product.  Look at those cute little pacs above.  Who wouldn't love that color in your dishwasher?  :)

Cascade Platinum pacs feature an advance triple action recipe that is specifically designed to leave your dishes spot-free and helps prevent the hard water build-up on dishwasher walls.  It powers away tough, stuck on food and eliminates the need to pre-wash dishes.  (Bonus!)  The average price for a bag of 14 pacs is $4.29.  You can purchase these in packages of 14, 23 and 43. 

Stay tuned for more updates and more photos (next time!). 

Also...
Make sure to head on over to Cascade's Facebook page and check it out (don't forget to like them!)

And to make your life even easier, Cascade is having a #MyPlatinum Instagram Contest where you can win  a KitchenAid Kitchen Makeover and a 1-year supply of Cascade!  Oh my goodness, do I want this prize!!  (Who wouldn't!?)  All you have to do is post a picture to Instagram and tag your photos with #MyPlatinum to enter.  There are weekly prize winners as well!  Each week 2 people will win a new dishwasher from Whirlpool! 
 Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Cascade. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.
 

Product Review: Green Giant Veggie Snack Chips

Recently I was invited to join a BzzCampaign through BzzAgent for Green Giant Veggie Snack Chips.  These chips are available at the Kroger Line of stores.  Want to see if you have one near you?  Check out this link: Kroger Store Locator. 

I was super lucky to be able to try these chips for free.  See the photo at the left...that all came free in my kit!  Deliciousness in a box!!  (Why are you not all BzzAgents yet...go apply!). 

Back to my kit: There are 2 different flavors of Veggie Snack Chips: Roasted Veggie Tortilla Chips with Zesty Cheddar  and Multigrain Sweet Potato Chips with Sea Salt.  The Roasted Veggie ones reminded us a little bit of Doritos (which we like) but we all agreed the Multigrain Sweet Potato ones were our favorite (or at least preferred choice). 

  

I seriously think these are one of the best snack foods I've eaten in a long time!  They are light and crispy and have a fantastic taste.  Kind of like a chip...only way better!  Actually it reminds me a little bit of Sun Chips in the texture (but not the taste).  I love them.  LOVE them.  I've already gone thru 2 bags and need to go buy more so I can have them in my lunches this week.  They are so good they are addicting.  You know the slogan/saying "you can't eat just one?"  It's true, you can't!  I love these, my kids love these...I wish I could say my husband loves these but since it's a veggie, he won't even try them.  Oh well, more for us. 

 

I love their little snack bags too.  See the photo to the right above?  That's how many was in one of their little snack bags.  It's a perfect portion...you'll need it otherwise you'll eat way more than you should!!

I love that these chips are made with whole grains and real veggies so I don't mind giving my kids "chips" when they ask for it.  And I'm definitely always looking for a way to sneak in those veggies, especially for Matthew!! 

 

Find out more about Green Giant products by visiting their website.  Don't forget, you can also follow them on Facebook or Twitter.

Product Review: Crockpot Pork Tenderloin

Recently I was invited to join a BzzCampaingn thru BzzAgent for Kroger Spring Dinners.  One of the products I was able to try for free was a "Moist and Tender" pork tenderloin.  So I started going thru my recipes on Pinterest to see which bookmarked meal I would make.  I decided to try this recipe with my pork tenderloin.

Well it certainly was easy to put together in the morning.  I just had to pretty much throw it all in the crockpot and turn it on.  And my house smelled really good when I got home. 

If you like pork, you'll probably enjoy this recipe.  Brian liked it, and I thought it was just ok.  The kids didn't really eat much of it.  I don't know if I'd make this exact recipe again for my family, but I would definitely get another pork tenderloin from Kroger and try a different recipe with it.  In fact, I have another recipe in mind already (on the grill).  So I'm sure you'll be seeing another pork post coming soon!  
 
3 lbs pork tenderloin

8 ounces of your favorite barbecue sauce

1 small onion (minced)
2 -3 garlic cloves (minced)
2 dashes hot sauce
salt and pepper

Salt and pepper pork loin and place in crock pot.  Add garlic and onion.  Pour BBQ sauce over meat.  Add hot sauce and stir to evenly distribute.  Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours.

Want to find out more about what's going on at your local Kroger?  Head on over to their website for more information and don't forget to follow them on Facebook and Twitter! 

Product Review: Kroger Brand Yogurts

If you are a regular follower of my blog you will notice that I do product reviews every once in a while.  This is usually a result of a wonderful opportunity to try a new product for free from BzzAgent.  Have you signed up to be a BzzAgent yet??  If not, head over there right now and check it out! 

Anyhow, on a recent campaign, I was invited to try Kroger brand Carbmaster Yogurt and Kroger Greek Lite Yogurt.  We eat a lot of yogurt in this house so I was more than happy to give these products a try!  I was already a fan of the Carbmaster yogurts.  Who wouldn't be a fan?!  Not only do they taste good but they are healthy and one of the only low-carb yogurts I like!  They have great flavors and are so much less expensive than other brands. 

Thru this particular campaign I was able to try (for free) Caramel Spice Cake (doesn't that just sound delicious!?), Spiced Pear, Cherry and White Chocolate Raspberry Carbmaster Yogurts.  I loved them all.  Spiced Pear was actually my favorite though.  Some of them I ate plain (as is) and others I used in my morning smoothies.  It doesn't matter how you eat these yogurts, they are great for a weight loss/low carb plan as each container is only 60 calories, has 1.5 grams of fat, 4 carbs and 8 grams of protein.  Now that is one great way to start your day.  It definitely kept me full all morning too.


I was also able to try another Kroger Brand yogurt this time too.  I tried their line of Greek yogurts.  Now they have regular (but flavored) Greek yogurt as well as a Greek Lite version too.  I am DEFINITELY a huge fan of the LITE version.  I love the flavors as they aren't as strong or tangy as typical Greek yogurt is.  In this campaign I tried the Pineapple Mango which as 16 carbs, 0 fat and a whopping 16 grams of protein per cup! 

I also tried the Vanilla, Peach and Strawberry flavors of the Greek Lite.  I'll admit, the Greek Lite flavors aren't as exciting as ones such as Pineapple Mango or Caramel Spice Cake, but it was still good.  These are now my go-to choices for feeding my one year old too since he does not like meat.  I love that he loves yogurt and giving him the Greek yogurt gives him a ton of (much needed) protein. 

Here's a little secret too (don't tell him OR my girls!): I've been giving them the Vanilla Greek Lite yogurt and mixing in some of his baby food to make it different flavors.  I get his baby food and protein in at one time.  And they all love it.  The girls have no idea there's baby food in their yogurt either.  (shhhh!) 

If this isn't enough info to get you to run out to your nearest Kroger and stock up on their yogurt then you are definitely missing out.  Good, more for me! 

Head on over to their website for more information and don't forget to follow them on Facebook and Twitter! 

Product Review Glade Expressions Fragrance Mist

I was able to get a bottle of the Glade Expressions Cotton and Italian Mandarin Fragrance Mist for free when I was recently invited to join a BzzCampaign through BzzAgent.  You can purchase these at Walmart, but I happened to be shopping at Meijer at the time so I picked up a bottle there instead.  The starter kit (shown above) cost $3.99. 

Isn't that little blue bottle pretty? (The picture above doesn't do the bottle justice though...it's much nicer in person). It looks great in my downstairs bathroom too.  According to the Glade website there are many other cuter colors and styles too.  Some even come with a silver container instead of the white like mine does.  AND there's a limited edition spring collection that includes the scents Vibrant Bloom and Garden Sunshine (but those are available exclusively at Walmart).

There are six different scents to choose from: Pineapple & Mangosteen, Cotton & Italian Mandarin, Lavender & Juniper Berry, Fuji Apple & Cardamom Spice, Garden Sunshine or Vibrant Bloom.  Meijer didn't have all of these great choices so I went with the Cotton & Italian Mandarin.

I'm loving this scent.  It's a clean and just a tad sweet scent.  I figured it would be one my husband wouldn't mind the girls spraying.  I'm leaving it in our bathroom so it is definitely going to get used as the girls will touch anything in their reach!

This fragrance mist does an excellent job of freshening up any area you spray it in, yet the scent stays in the air long enough to actually enjoy it outside of the room you sprayed it in.  Even as I type this I can still smell it coming down the hallway into the room I am sitting in.  My house smells fabulously!

What I like about these bottles is that they are refillable.  So I can reuse the outside container again and again.  Less waste for the environment!  And the containers are definitely much prettier than a standard old air freshener container.  They can pretty much match just about any room decor!
 
Want to know more about the Glade products, check out their website, join them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.

Product Review: Cafe Escapes K-cups

I finally got a Keurig coffee maker for Christmas this past December.  It truly was one of my favorite gifts to open!  I love it.  We all use it too...me for coffee, Brian for hot chocolate.  So when I was invited to join a BzzCampaign for Cafe Escapes K-Cups I was ecstatic!  I was sent 2 boxes (8 K-cups) of different coffee, lattes and hot chocolate to try for free.  Of course the very first thing I tried was the Chai Latte.  Black tea, cinnamon and "milky sweetness"...doesn't that sound wonderful??  It sure does to me! 

Cafe Escapes is from the Green Mountain Family. It's no wonder this stuff is good...it's a wonderful brand of coffees!

Back to my drink: It came out of my Keurig as a very light brown liquid.  Normally I have to put a lot of sweetener into my drinks but NOT with this one!  It was wonderful.  I asked Allison to try it and she immediately tasted the cinnamon.  (A little impressive for a 6 year old!)  I'm sad that my box doesn't have more Chai Latte in it to drink!  :(  That's okay though because I plan to look for them the next time I go to the grocery store.  And if I can't find them, I can buy them directly online at their website.  I definitely plan to get a box...or three!

Want to learn more about Cafe Escapes??  Check out their website, find them on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter!

Product Review: Glade Expressions Oil Diffusers

 

I was recently invited to join a BzzCampaign through BzzAgent for Glade Expressions. One of the products I was able to try for free was one of their Oil Diffuser Starter Kits.  There were three choices to choose from: Lavender and Juniper Berry, Pineapple and Mangosteen, and Fuji Apple and Cardamom Spice.  I stood in the cleaning/fragrance aisle for probably a full five minutes debating about which diffuser I should get.  Should I get one I wanted or one my husband would like.  I couldn't decide.  So I went with one that I think my husband would tolerate.  :) 

The kit cost $7.99 at Meijer.  It comes with a diffuser card, and oil bottle and a decorative holder.  The holder has a pretty leaf pattern on it in white and black.  It's very room-neutral and would go with pretty much any decoration and in any room.  I decided to put mine in our hallway on top of our cubbies.  I wanted to see many rooms I could smell this from and this was a central location for the diffuser.  The box says it lasts 30 days.

The diffuser is very easy to assemble.  You just push the diffuser card into the oil bottle.  It clicks in very easily and you can smell the scent almost as soon as it is inserted.  See the picture on the left, that's a picture of the diffuser card and the oil bottle.  The picture at the top is the beautiful oil diffuser all put together and working. 

Almost right after putting this together you could smell the scent.  Within about 30 minutes I could smell it in almost every room on our first floor.  In the morning when we woke up I could even smell it upstairs.  It was strong.  Too strong for my liking unfortunately.  Eventually I had to move it to the garage because it was so over powering.  We like the scent but it's too much for us.  This would be great if you like strong scents or if you are putting it in a very large room.  I'm sure once this scent dissipates just a little it will be great in our house but for now (it's been about 1 week in) it's a little too much.

Would I get a refill, yes.  In fact, I actually enjoy it in our garage. For my home though, we would all have to really love the scent since it's strong. 

Want to know more about the Glade products, check out their website, join them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.   

Product Review: Morningstar Farms Veggie Meatballs

We are a meatball loving family.  I eat it in soups, as a meatball sub and with our pasta meals.  I'll also make meatballs and freeze them so when I need to add a healthy protein to the kids meals, I can just reheat them and they are ready to go.  This is one product from Morningstar Farms that I have never tried before, so when I got a coupon from my Bzzagent Kit to try this product for free I was super excited.  The box of veggie meatballs comes with 15 per box (3 servings), and each serving is only 130 calories, has 3 grams of fiber and 14 grams of protein!  They are super easy to heat up in the microwave (only takes 2 minutes) and are a great healthy addition to any pasta dish.  You could bake them in the oven as well, which would probably make them a little less chewy but that takes about 18 minutes in the oven and I'd rather have a quicker meal.   Anyhow, this is a great addition to a pasta dish...so that's what I ate it with...whole wheat pasta.  It was delicious.  The meatballs are just a tad bit chewy for my liking, but as far as frozen meatballs go, that's par for the course (as far as I'm concerned). 

Now don't get me wrong, I ate this box of meatballs in 2 days.  I'd say I enjoyed them!  I did share them with Matthew and he loved them too.  These would make a great addition to a lunch since they are so easy to heat up in the microwave.  But if you really want to enjoy these, grab some fresh french bread, and mozzarella and make some meatball subs!  These are delicious that way!

Want to find out more about their products? Check out their website, facebook page, or find them on twitter. 

Product Review: Morninstar Farms Garden Veggie Patties

Many, many years ago when I was in college I used to skip class (shh...don't tell my dad) to go to the pub on campus to "study" and get a veggie burger.  It was the first time I had one and I LOVED it.  I couldn't get enough of them.  I loved the veggies in it, especially the water chestnuts.  Fast forward a few years later and I was out of college and still missing my veggie burger lunch dates.  So I grabbed a box of the Morningstar Farms Garden Veggie Patties to see if I liked them.  Imagine my surprise when they tasted almost identical to the ones I had eaten!  I was in love and I couldn't get enough of these.  Even today these are in my grocery cart several times a month.  I buy more than one box at a time.  These are my favorite veggie burgers.  They are healthy, have a ton of veggies in them and the water chestnuts are still my favorite part of this burger giving it a little extra crunch.  I eat these for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Yes I eat them for breakfast.  Burgers aren't just a breakfast food you know.  Well that's not true.  Burgers are a lunch/dinner food when they are unhealthy.  These burgers are great on an English muffin, topped with a reduced fat cheese.  It's like eating a sausage mcmuffin w/out the sausage. 


Now, with that said, I eat sausage mcmuffins at home all the time too.  The Morningstar Farms Veggie Sausage Patties are to die for.  They have a little sweetness to them and I love that I can just pop one in the microwave and by the time my English muffin is toasted, my sausage patty is done!  A fast, on the go, healthy breakfast!

Have you tried any of their products yet?  If not, you are missing out!  The Garden Veggie Patties are only 110 calories each and contain only 3.5 g of fat, but 10 grams of protein!  If you are wondering what other veggies are in this it includes mushrooms, water chestnuts, onion, carrots, green and red bell peppers, and black olives.  I love olives but not usually in burgers.  These are not overpowering at all.  I hardly know they are in there. 

Want to find out more about their products?  Check out their website, facebook page, or find them on twitter. 

Product Review: LEAN CUISINE® Salad Additions

It's a new year and another chance to make it a healthy year.  I'm very ready to eat more healthy and I definitely struggle with lunch and dinner most often because I love eating food.  I am not a "just had a salad for lunch" kind of girl.  So when I was invited to join a recent BzzCampaign for Lean Cuisine Salad Additions, I was more than excited to try it. As soon as I got my coupon to try it for free, I ran to Walmart and added it to my shopping cart.  I purchased my kit in the freezer section at Walmart for just under $3.  There were 4 kit choices to choose from: Asian-Style Chicken, Bistro Chicken, Cranberry and Chicken and Southwest-Style Chicken.  I decided to try the Bistro Chicken because it has a sweet and tangy vinaigrette with BACON.  Sold.  It also has crispy onion straw (you know like the topping to Green Bean Casserole) which I adore.  The kit also comes with grilled chicken, asparagus pieces, yellow carrots and red peppers.

All you need to do do is add some lettuce (I chose romaine).  How easy is that?! One kit (serves 1) and has 240 calories, 8 gram of fat and 15 grams of protein.  That's quite a healthy lunch. 

It's really easy to prepare.  You just defrost your salad dressing in some water, heat up the chicken and veggies in a steam pouch (only 3 1/2 minutes total), and toss everything together with your lettuce.  It's that simple.  This salad was really, really good.  I was afraid I wasn't going to like the chicken in my salad but that was definitely not the case.  The only thing I would change next time is to make the chicken ahead of time and let it cool.  I personally did not like the taste of the hot chicken and veggies with the cold lettuce.  But I would have loved this salad if it was all the same temperature. 

I'm excited to try this again and will probably try the Asian-Style chicken next time.  Maybe the Southwest Style?  Or let's be honest, I'll probably just get one of each and decide which one is my favorite that way. 

Have you tried these yet?  If so, what's your favorite Salad Addition??

And don't forget to head over and like their facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LeanCuisine and follow them on Twitter. 

Product Review: Make Your Own Candy Kits

As the Holidays approach are you looking for a last minute, unique gift idea for kids?  How about something to do with your child(children) over winter break?  I've got some ideas for you!

I was privileged to try and review a product from GleeGum.com.  They sent me one of their DIY Candy Kits.  I was able to choose between Chewing Gum, Chocolates of Candies.  Each kit includes natural ingredients, simple instructions, and info about the history and origins of familiar treats. 

Now anyone who knows me, assumes I would have chosen the Chocolates.  You would have been right...except this wasn't for me so I went with what the girls wanted...GUM.  No surprise since Mimi (their grandma) gives them gum every time she sees them and the are always asking for it. 

I waited for a cold, rainy Sunday afternoon to pull this out and have them help me make gum.  They were thrilled!  The kit is intended for kids 8+, but my 3 and 5 year old did just fine with it.  Of course I had to help them with it, but they didn't mind.  Our kit included information about where the chicle comes from to make the gum, how it's collected, and other basic information about the Sapodilla tree it comes from.  The kids enjoyed listening to the story of Eduardo from Guatemala who collects the sap from the trees to make the gum.  It was also interesting to introduce the girls to the concept of Fair Trade and products we can purchase that help people in other areas of the world. 

The kit comes with everything you need to make the gum.  (All I needed was a spoon, cutting board and a rolling pin). They even send you a tray to melt the chicle in because it's so sticky.  Word of warning....DON'T use your good spoons to stir this product.  I had to throw one of my spoons away because I couldn't get the chicle off it.  I might have been able to if I really tried (they suggest using melted butter) but it just wasn't worth the effort! 

Here is a picture of the girls kneading the mixture and getting the flavor into the gum.  They send you two packs of flavoring in the kit and thankfully both girl wanted a different one so they each make their own flavors of gum.  You can even experiment with it and change it to your preferences.  You can add food coloring or different powdered flavoring such as Kool-Aid or Jell-O. 

My girls loved making this.  We used a pizza cutter to cut these into thin strips and the girls wrapped their gum in aluminum foil so they could save it for later.  Most nights after dinner they choose to eat another piece of their gum instead of typical candy or dessert-type foods.

These kits are sold at gift stores nationwide and online at GleeGum.com.  There is a store locator on their website and I was happy to see there are 2 stores in our town where we could purchase some of their products (natural food stores).  However their DIY Kits are primarily sold online and were not available in our town. The kits retail online for $13.95 each and thankfully for us, you can purchase a gum refill kit $6.95.  :)  Right now Glee Gum is running a Holiday Special and you can get all 3 kits for 30% off (currently at time this post was published the holiday price is $29.30 for all 3 kits!)

We definitely enjoyed making this DIY Gum kit and my kids are still talking about it.  I'm excited to try the Gummies or Chocolates next...or maybe they'll choose gum again! 

You can also check out other Glee Gum products by heading over to their Facebook Page (Glee Gum) and on  Twitter (@gleeguy).